17. Positive Emotions, Jack
Fostering Positive Emotions
Jack: In the last few sessions we've been learning to skillfully include emotions, especially difficult ones in the field of mindfulness. However, we can also use mindfulness to strengthen positive emotions. Researchers in the field of positive psychology have found that directing attention to positive states, such as loving, kindness, compassion strengthens the neural pathways, connected with these feelings and enhances our ability to access them. Studies show that in just a matter of weeks, cultivating these positive emotions have transformed the participants' approach to life work, family and community.
While mindfulness training can spontaneously give rise to positive emotions, such as joy, trust, confidence, inner strength, and wellbeing, the practice of deliberately cultivating what is called loving-kindness has been shown to be even more effective in enhancing these emotions. The spirit of kindness is one of the most critical of all the positive emotions for your training. You know what it's like when you're feeling upset and isolated, and another person shows up with genuine caring, with interest and warmth, something shifts you no longer feel separate and a deep comfort. A sense of true okay-ness comes from that. We can learn to offer this same healing medicine of kindness to our own heart.
In this session, you will deliberately turn your intention toward developing the positive states of kindness and love for yourself and
others. This practice involves holding someone in mind while directing to them simple phrases of kind intention and inviting the feelings of kindness to grow. Some people find it hard to direct loving-kindness toward themselves. They feel unworthy, or awkward or shy, or the practice seems strange or uncomfortable.
So we'll begin in the easiest way. By bringing to mind someone you genuinely care about and directing thoughts of loving-kindness to them. And then as your heart opens to that person, it can be easier to turn the love toward yourself. Eventually, the practice will extend to include sending these positive thoughts to family community, and more.
Keep in mind that what we're doing is called practice not perfect. Sometimes the words might feel mechanical or even bring up their opposite. I'm not a loving person or even I don't want to be loving. I'm mad and angry. And I hate this person and I hate this practice. Hold it all with kindness and non-judging awareness and do the practice anyway. Over time, like water on a stone, the heart begins to soften and kindness becomes a strength for you to draw on. And as you've seen from the first class, awareness, and kindness when joined together become wisdom. So let's begin.
Take a seat with graciousness and dignity and make sure you're comfortable for this session. Notice the state of your body and mind and bring a kind attention to yourself. Take a few deep relaxing breaths and let the mind calm and the body rest in the rhythm of the breath for a few moments.
Now, let's begin the practice of loving-kindness. Reflect for a moment on the benefits of a kind and loving heart. You care for yourself and others. You move through the world with strength and kindness. And as you sit quietly, now let yourself picture or think of a person you love a lot where the relationship is easy and unconflicted. As you remember and picture them, feel the natural warmth and caring that comes. Notice that with your love for them, is a spontaneous well-wishing. And let these kind intentions be voiced in a simple way, saying softly and silently in your mind, may you be filled with loving-kindness, and may you be safe and protected. May you be well in body and mind, strong and healed and may you be happy.
Feel the goodwill and loving-kindness that grows naturally as you offer these intentions to one you care about. It's like planting seeds. You can add other good wishes. May you accept yourself just as you are. May you know the joy of being alive. May you trust your goodness. May you live with ease and peace. And now imagine that this loved one is gazing back at you. They see you with the same loving eyes, reflecting the same care and kindness that you have offered to them. They look back at you and want you too to be well and safe, strong and happy. Picture, or imagine, or envision them wishing these for you, as they would say, may you too be filled with loving-kindness. May you too be safe and protected. May you be well in body and mind, strong and healed. May you be happy. And receive the goodwill and loving-kindness that grows as they offer these seeds of care.
Let them add other intentions. May you accept yourself just as you are. May you find natural great peace.
Now recite these caring intentions, what they wish for you for yourself. If you wish, you can even put a hand on your heart. May I be filled with loving-kindness. May I be safe and protected. May I be well in body and mind, strong and healed, and may I be happy. And feeling their well-wishing, you now offer it to yourself in this same way. And whatever is present, even if this practice is difficult, hold it all with kindness. Take some time now to continue this well-wishing for yourself. Later, we'll expand the practice to include family, community, and the whole world, but for now, let your own body and mind be a field of kindness. Sense its strength and warmth, its courage and empowerment. May I be filled with loving-kindness, safe and protected. May I be well in body and mind, strong and healed. May I be happy.
And with this spirit of loving-kindness and well-wishing, now return to the core central practice of mindfulness and take some time to be present for your breath or body with loving awareness, acknowledging the other waves of experience as they arise. Let your mindfulness be joined together with a spirit of loving-kindness.
You can experiment including this loving-kindness practice as a part of your daily training or practice it quietly as you work or as you walk through the streets silently wishing well to those passing by; If there are other phrases of well-wishing that would better serve you, feel free to use them. You are joining together loving-kindness and awareness so that more and more they become your home.
© Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield
Reprinted by permission.
Jack: In the last few sessions we've been learning to skillfully include emotions, especially difficult ones in the field of mindfulness. However, we can also use mindfulness to strengthen positive emotions. Researchers in the field of positive psychology have found that directing attention to positive states, such as loving, kindness, compassion strengthens the neural pathways, connected with these feelings and enhances our ability to access them. Studies show that in just a matter of weeks, cultivating these positive emotions have transformed the participants' approach to life work, family and community.
While mindfulness training can spontaneously give rise to positive emotions, such as joy, trust, confidence, inner strength, and wellbeing, the practice of deliberately cultivating what is called loving-kindness has been shown to be even more effective in enhancing these emotions. The spirit of kindness is one of the most critical of all the positive emotions for your training. You know what it's like when you're feeling upset and isolated, and another person shows up with genuine caring, with interest and warmth, something shifts you no longer feel separate and a deep comfort. A sense of true okay-ness comes from that. We can learn to offer this same healing medicine of kindness to our own heart.
In this session, you will deliberately turn your intention toward developing the positive states of kindness and love for yourself and
others. This practice involves holding someone in mind while directing to them simple phrases of kind intention and inviting the feelings of kindness to grow. Some people find it hard to direct loving-kindness toward themselves. They feel unworthy, or awkward or shy, or the practice seems strange or uncomfortable.
So we'll begin in the easiest way. By bringing to mind someone you genuinely care about and directing thoughts of loving-kindness to them. And then as your heart opens to that person, it can be easier to turn the love toward yourself. Eventually, the practice will extend to include sending these positive thoughts to family community, and more.
Keep in mind that what we're doing is called practice not perfect. Sometimes the words might feel mechanical or even bring up their opposite. I'm not a loving person or even I don't want to be loving. I'm mad and angry. And I hate this person and I hate this practice. Hold it all with kindness and non-judging awareness and do the practice anyway. Over time, like water on a stone, the heart begins to soften and kindness becomes a strength for you to draw on. And as you've seen from the first class, awareness, and kindness when joined together become wisdom. So let's begin.
Take a seat with graciousness and dignity and make sure you're comfortable for this session. Notice the state of your body and mind and bring a kind attention to yourself. Take a few deep relaxing breaths and let the mind calm and the body rest in the rhythm of the breath for a few moments.
Now, let's begin the practice of loving-kindness. Reflect for a moment on the benefits of a kind and loving heart. You care for yourself and others. You move through the world with strength and kindness. And as you sit quietly, now let yourself picture or think of a person you love a lot where the relationship is easy and unconflicted. As you remember and picture them, feel the natural warmth and caring that comes. Notice that with your love for them, is a spontaneous well-wishing. And let these kind intentions be voiced in a simple way, saying softly and silently in your mind, may you be filled with loving-kindness, and may you be safe and protected. May you be well in body and mind, strong and healed and may you be happy.
Feel the goodwill and loving-kindness that grows naturally as you offer these intentions to one you care about. It's like planting seeds. You can add other good wishes. May you accept yourself just as you are. May you know the joy of being alive. May you trust your goodness. May you live with ease and peace. And now imagine that this loved one is gazing back at you. They see you with the same loving eyes, reflecting the same care and kindness that you have offered to them. They look back at you and want you too to be well and safe, strong and happy. Picture, or imagine, or envision them wishing these for you, as they would say, may you too be filled with loving-kindness. May you too be safe and protected. May you be well in body and mind, strong and healed. May you be happy. And receive the goodwill and loving-kindness that grows as they offer these seeds of care.
Let them add other intentions. May you accept yourself just as you are. May you find natural great peace.
Now recite these caring intentions, what they wish for you for yourself. If you wish, you can even put a hand on your heart. May I be filled with loving-kindness. May I be safe and protected. May I be well in body and mind, strong and healed, and may I be happy. And feeling their well-wishing, you now offer it to yourself in this same way. And whatever is present, even if this practice is difficult, hold it all with kindness. Take some time now to continue this well-wishing for yourself. Later, we'll expand the practice to include family, community, and the whole world, but for now, let your own body and mind be a field of kindness. Sense its strength and warmth, its courage and empowerment. May I be filled with loving-kindness, safe and protected. May I be well in body and mind, strong and healed. May I be happy.
And with this spirit of loving-kindness and well-wishing, now return to the core central practice of mindfulness and take some time to be present for your breath or body with loving awareness, acknowledging the other waves of experience as they arise. Let your mindfulness be joined together with a spirit of loving-kindness.
You can experiment including this loving-kindness practice as a part of your daily training or practice it quietly as you work or as you walk through the streets silently wishing well to those passing by; If there are other phrases of well-wishing that would better serve you, feel free to use them. You are joining together loving-kindness and awareness so that more and more they become your home.
© Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield
Reprinted by permission.